Tinubu Intervenes, Orders EFCC To Lift Freeze On Osun Accounts

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately return to court and seek the withdrawal of the order freezing the Osun State Government’s bank accounts.

The President said the directive was necessary to safeguard public confidence in the democratic process as Osun prepares for its governorship election in the coming days.

In a statement issued by the State House on Thursday, Tinubu stressed that while he was not opposed to the EFCC carrying out its legal responsibilities, he was concerned about the timing of the agency’s action.

“It has come to my notice that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) obtained a court order on August 5, 2026, freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government.

“I must state that I feel deeply embarrassed not by the EFCC’s exercise of its mandate backed by a court order, but by the timing of the agency’s action,” the President said.

The EFCC had secured the court order as part of an investigation into alleged financial misconduct involving the Osun State Government.

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The commission had defended its decision, maintaining that it acted within the law and had the authority to restrict accounts linked to suspected financial crimes. It also stated that it could place a temporary 72-hour freeze on accounts before obtaining court approval for a longer restriction.

Tinubu, however, said the public often holds him responsible for the actions of federal institutions, whether or not he was informed beforehand.

“This is so because every action taken by an institution of State, especially at the Federal level, is always credited to me, as the President, even when I may not have had any prior knowledge of the action,” he stated.

The President reiterated that his administration had consistently allowed anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies to carry out their duties independently.

“Since assuming office, I have consistently maintained that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies must be allowed to discharge their statutory responsibilities independently, professionally, without fear or favour, or political interference,” Tinubu said.

He added that he had deliberately refrained from interfering in the operations of the EFCC and other investigative agencies because of his belief in strong democratic institutions.

“I have therefore deliberately refrained from directing or interfering in the operational activities of the EFCC or any other investigative or prosecutorial agency because I firmly believe that strong democratic institutions, operating within the confines of the law, are indispensable to democratic good governance and the rule of law,” he said.

Although the President noted that he had not been fully briefed on the facts behind the EFCC’s application to freeze the accounts, he insisted that the timing warranted intervention.

“While I am yet to be fully apprised of the facts which informed the action of EFCC in approaching the court to obtain the said order freezing the Osun State Government account, I am not in the slightest doubt that the timing of the action of EFCC is inauspicious, and therefore I feel compelled to intervene,” he said.

Tinubu stressed that no action should create the impression that federal agencies were being used to influence the forthcoming election.

“Osun State is only a few days away from its gubernatorial election. Therefore, nothing ought to be done to give an impression that the EFCC or indeed any other agency of the federal government is being used to interfere with the election,” he added.

The President said his intervention was aimed at protecting the integrity of the electoral process and preserving public trust.

“Based on the foregoing premise, I am duty-bound to issue a directive on this issue in consonance with the overriding public interest in preserving public confidence and the integrity, credibility, and fairness of our democratic process,” he said.

Tinubu subsequently instructed the anti-graft agency to withdraw the court order and end the action against the state government.

“Accordingly, I have directed the EFCC to immediately proceed to the court to vacate the order and discontinue whatever action it has instituted against the Osun State Government in this regard,” the statement read.

The development follows a dispute between the Osun State Government and the EFCC over the freezing of the state’s accounts. While the state government denied allegations of misappropriating ₦11 billion and accused the commission of attempting to justify its actions, the EFCC maintained that its investigation was lawful and not politically motivated. The President’s directive comes just days before the Osun governorship election, which has intensified scrutiny of actions taken by government institutions.